What We Do

“In the course of history, there comes a time when humanity is called to shift to a new level of consciousness, to reach a higher ground. A time when we have to shed our fear and give hope to each other. That time is now.”
— Dr. Wangari Maathai, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate

Our Vision and Mission

WEA’s vision is that the women worldwide who are safeguarding a thriving home for all of us, are never alone, and that they have what they need—not only to survive but to thrive.

A vibrant grid of micro-networks has been built by women over years and across borders to guard and nourish our earth. Community by community, women step forward to defend forests from being stripped bare, prevent children from dying of waterborne illness, and uphold cultural fabric in the face of violence and exploitation. WEA lights this grid of connectivity.

Our mission is to equip women with the skills and tools they need to protect our earth and strengthen communities from the inside out. We work with local leaders who build up other leaders. One becomes two, two become four, four become eight, and millions.

How We Do This

With local leadership guiding each WEA project, we design capacity-building trainings where women access skills and tools in appropriate technology, entrepreneurship, and advocacy. They gain seed funding, mentorship, and a global alliance. With these resources in hand, participants go on to launch their own environmental projects and teach others to do the same.

The “WEA Effect”

Regardless of the unique conditions in each region, the efforts of WEA participants lead to a consistent set of cascading benefits that we call the “WEA Effect”: women are empowered, children are safer, communities are healthier, natural resources regenerate, local economies prosper, regions stabilize, and real transformation takes root.

Our theory of change is simple:

When women thrive, communities, the environment, and future generations thrive.